This layered fort encapsulates the history of US coastal defense spanning nearly 200 years and four wars. Aspects of the fort have been restored to help visitors understand the evolution of architecture, weaponry and engineering during a range of time periods, with special attention given to the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, WWI and WWII periods.
The attraction is also notable for its secluded, fine-sanded beach and a variety of exhibits outside the fort, including the grave of Seminole leader Osceola, and the sites where the first and second iterations of the fort stood. In 1776 the initial Fort Moultrie was composed of palmetto logs, which were surprisingly good at stopping cannon balls.